Death after police intervention. Prosecutor launches "dynamic inquiry"

On Monday morning, the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Lubin called off a press conference regarding the incident.

"At this point we can't reveal any details due to a very dynamic course of the inquiry," chief of the prosecutor's office Magdalena Serafin told reporters. She did confirm, however, that the inquiry into involuntary manslaughter and overstepping authority was indeed launched.

She added that a post-mortem of the 34-year-old has been scheduled for Tuesday.

"We can't comment on the cause of death of the man until the autopsy has been carried out, as well as possible further analyses that may be ordered during the examination. As of now, we don't know what was the cause of the man's death," Serafin said.

The head of the prosecutor's office added the officers who had taken part in the intervention were already questioned.

"We've also secured CCTV footage, including that from the police station, emergency ward and footage captured by witnesses," she added.

Magdalena Serafin also said the paramedics who had tried to save the man were also questioned, evidence has been secured and the scene examined.

Local police said in a statement that on Friday, August 6, around 6 a.m., officers in Lubin had received a call regarding a man running around the street and throwing stones at buildings. "The call was from a woman who said it was her drug-abusing son," the statement reads.

A video showing Friday's police intervention aimed at stopping the aggressive man was published online. It shows the officers trying to subdue the man who lays on the ground for a few minutes. He screams and tries to free himself. Two officers are later joined by another one, as well as by a man in a white jumper with a backpack (most likely a non-uniformed policeman).

All four are then trying to incapacitate the screaming man. Next they try to carry the man to the police car, but fail to get him inside. They lay him on the ground next to the vehicle and lean over him again. At one point the man stops to scream and move. He is most likely unconscious.

According to the police, the man died two hours after being brought to a hospital. This information is untrue, says Civic Coalition MP Piotr Borys.

"This young person did not die after two hours in hospital, but already in the ambulance. We don't know if force was used properly," the MP said.

On Sunday, a crowd gathered in front of the county police station in Lubin, protesting against police brutality. Some lit candles next to the station, others chanted vulgar slogans about the police.

The protesters threw eggs and stones at the building. Next, a group of some 30 people stormed the entrance. The police used tear gas, and the crowd responded by throwing bottles, stones and - according to the police - Molotov cocktails. The protesters also put a waste container on fire, which was later extinguished by firefighters.

"56 protesters were detained. There were also minors in the group, they were returned under the care of their legal guardians," station officer Krzysztof Pawlik told tvn24.pl.

He added that six officers have been injured in the scuffle.

"Six officers have been injured. Two of them had to have their wounds stitched. One of them has 18 stitches on his forearm," Pawlik said.

The prosecutor's office will examine the question of the protesters' liability in a separate inquiry.

"They will be charged with property damage, threat and assault on officers, as well as other charges related to staging illegal gathering," said Wojciech Jabłoński from Lower Silesian police.